F I R S T C O R I N T H I A N
S.

CHAP. XV.

In this chapter the apostle treats of that great
article of Christianity—the resurrection of the dead. I. He
establishes the certainty of our Saviour's resurrection, ver. 1-11. II. He, from this
truth, sets himself to refute those who said, There is no
resurrection of the dead, ver.
12-19. III. From our Saviour's resurrection he
establishes the resurrection of the dead and confirms the
Corinthians in the belief of it by some other considerations,
ver. 20-34. IV. He
answers an objection against this truth, and takes occasion thence
to show what a vast change will be made in the bodies of believers
at the resurrection, ver.
35-50. V. He informs us what a change will be made in
those who shall be living at the sound of the last trumpet, and the
complete conquest the just shall then obtain over death and the
grave, ver. 51-57. And,
VI. He sums up the argument with a very serious exhortation to
Christians, to be resolved and diligent in their Lord's service,
because they know they shall be so gloriously rewarded by him,
ver. 58.

The Resurrection of Christ. (a.
d. 57.)

1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the
gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and
wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep
in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in
vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I
also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the
scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again
the third day according to the scriptures: 5 And that he was
seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6 After that, he was
seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater
part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7
After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due
time. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet
to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace
which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured
more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God
which was with me. 11 Therefore whether it were I or
they, so we preach, and so ye believed.

It is the apostle's business in this
chapter to assert and establish the doctrine of the resurrection of
the dead, which some of the Corinthians flatly denied, v. 12. Whether they turned
this doctrine into allegory, as did Hymeneus and Philetus, by
saying it was already past (2 Tim. ii.
17, 18), and several of the ancient heretics, by making
it mean no more than a changing of their course of life; or whether
they rejected it as absurd, upon principles of reason and science;
it seems they denied it in the proper sense. And they disowned a
future state of recompences, by denying the resurrection of the
dead. Now that heathens and infidels should deny this truth does
not seem so strange; but that Christians, who had their religion by
revelation, should deny a truth so plainly discovered is
surprising, especially when it is a truth of such importance. It
was time for the apostle to confirm them in this truth, when the
staggering of their faith in this point was likely to shake their
Christianity; and they were yet in great danger of having their
faith staggered. He begins with an epitome or summary of the
gospel, what he had preached among them, namely, the death and
resurrection of Christ. Upon this foundation the doctrine of the
resurrection of the dead is built. Note, Divine truths appear with
greatest evidence when they are looked upon in their mutual
connection. The foundation may be strengthened, that the
superstructure may be secured. Now concerning the gospel
observe,

I. What a stress he lays upon it (v. 1, 2): Moreover,
brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached to
you. 1. It was what he constantly preached. His word was not
yea and nay: he always preached the same gospel, and taught the
same truth. He could appeal to his hearers for this. Truth is in
its own nature invariable; and the infallible teachers of divine
truth could never be at variance with themselves or one another.
The doctrine which Paul had heretofore taught, he still taught. 2.
It was what they had received; they had been convinced of the
faith, believed it in their hearts, or at least made profession of
doing so with their mouths. It was no strange doctrine. It was that
very gospel in which, or by which, they had hitherto stood, and
must continue to stand. If they gave up this truth, they left
themselves no ground to stand upon, no footing in religion. Note,
The doctrine of Christ's death and resurrection is at the
foundation of Christianity. Remove this foundation, and the whole
fabric falls, all our hopes for eternity sink at once. And it is by
holding this truth firmly that Christians are made to stand in a
day of trial, and kept faithful to God. 3. It was that alone by
which they could hope for salvation (v. 2), for there is no salvation in
any other name; no name given under heaven by which we may be
saved, but by the name of Christ. And there is no salvation in
his name, but upon supposition of his death and resurrection. These
are the saving truths of our holy religion. The crucifixion of our
Redeemer and his conquest over death are the very source of our
spiritual life and hopes. Now concerning these saving truths
observe, (1.) They must be retained in mind, they must be held fast
(so the word is translated, Heb. x.
23): Let us hold fast the profession of our
faith. Note, The saving truths of the gospel must be fixed in
our mind, revolved much in our thoughts, and maintained and held
fast to the end, if we would be saved. They will not save us, if we
do not attend to them, and yield to their power, and continue to do
so to the end. He only that endureth to the end shall be
saved, Matt. x. 22.
(2.) We believe in vain, unless we continue and persevere in the
faith of the gospel. We shall be never the better for a temporary
faith; nay, we shall aggravate our guilt by relapsing into
infidelity. And in vain is it to profess Christianity, or our faith
in Christ, if we deny the resurrection; for this must imply and
involve the denial of his resurrection; and, take away this, you
make nothing of Christianity, you leave nothing for faith or hope
to fix upon.

II. Observe what this gospel is, on which
the apostle lays such stress. It was that doctrine which he had
received, and delivered to them, en protois—among
the first, the principal. It was a doctrine of the first rank,
a most necessary truth, That Christ died for our sins, and was
buried, and rose again: or, in other words, that he was
delivered for our offences and rose again for our justification
(Rom. iv. 25), that he was
offered in sacrifice for our sins, and rose again, to show that he
had procured forgiveness for them, and was accepted of God in this
offering. Note, Christ's death and resurrection are the very sum
and substance of evangelical truth. Hence we derive our spiritual
life now, and here we must found our hopes of everlasting life
hereafter.

III. Observe how this truth is
confirmed,

1. By Old-Testament predictions. He died
for our sins, according to the scriptures; he was buried, and rose
from the dead, according to the scriptures, according to the
scripture-prophecies, and scripture-types. Such prophecies as
Ps. xvi.
10; Isa. liii. 4-6; Dan. ix. 26, 27; Hos. vi. 2. Such
scripture-types as Jonah (Matt. xii.
4), as Isaac, who is expressly said by the apostle to
have been received from the dead in a figure, Heb. xi. 19. Note, It is a great
confirmation of our faith of the gospel to see how it corresponds
with ancient types and prophecies.

2. By the testimony of many eye-witnesses,
who saw Christ after he had risen from the dead. He reckons up five
several appearances, beside that to himself. He was seen of
Cephas, or Peter, then of the twelve, called so, though Judas
was no longer among them, because this was their usual number; then
he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once, many of
whom were living when the apostle wrote this epistle, though some
had fallen asleep. This was in Galilee, Matt. xxviii. 10. After that, he was seen of
James singly, and then by all the apostles when he was taken up
into heaven. This was on mount Olivet, Luke xxiv. 50. Compare Acts i. 2, 5-7. Note, How uncontrollably
evident was Christ's resurrection from the dead, when so many eyes
saw him at so many different times alive, and when he indulged the
weakness of one disciple so far as to let him handle him, to put
his resurrection out of doubt! And what reason have we to believe
those who were so steady in maintaining this truth, though they
hazarded all that was dear to them in this world, by endeavouring
to assert and propagate it! Even Paul himself was last of all
favoured with the sight of him. It was one of the peculiar offices
of an apostle to be a witness of our Saviour's resurrection
(Luke xxiv. 48); and, when
Paul was called to the apostolical office, he was made an evidence
of this sort; the Lord Jesus appeared to him by the way to
Damascus, Acts ix. 17.
Having mentioned this favour, Paul takes occasion from it to make a
humble digression concerning himself. He was highly favoured of
God, but he always endeavoured to keep up a mean opinion of
himself, and to express it. So he does here, by observing, (1.)
That he was one born out of due time (v. 8), an abortive,
ektroma, a child dead born, and out of time. Paul
resembled such a birth, in the suddenness of his new birth, in that
he was not matured for the apostolic function, as the others were,
who had personal converse with our Lord. He was called to the
office when such conversation was not to be had, he was out of time
for it. He had not known nor followed the Lord, nor been formed in
his family, as the others were, for this high and honourable
function. This was in Paul's account a very humbling circumstance.
(2.) By owning himself inferior to the other apostles: Not meet
to be called an apostle. The least, because the last of them;
called latest to the office, and not worthy to be called an
apostle, to have either the office or the title, because he had
been a persecutor of the church of God, v. 9. Indeed, he tells us elsewhere
that he was not a whit behind the very chief apostles
(2 Cor. xi. 5)—for gifts,
graces, service, and sufferings, inferior to none of them. Yet some
circumstances in his case made him think more meanly of himself
than of any of them. Note, A humble spirit, in the midst of high
attainments, is a great ornament to any man; it sets his good
qualities off to much greater advantage. What kept Paul low in an
especial manner was the remembrance of his former wickedness, his
raging and destructive zeal against Christ and him members. Note,
How easily God can bring a good out of the greatest evil! When
sinners are by divine grace turned into saints, he makes the
remembrance of their former sins very serviceable, to make them
humble, and diligent, and faithful. (3.) By ascribing all that was
valuable in him to divine grace: But by the grace of God I am
what I am, v.
10. It is God's prerogative to say, I am that I
am; it is our privilege to be able to say, "By God's grace we
are what we are." We are nothing but what God makes us, nothing in
religion but what his grace makes us. All that is good in us is a
stream from this fountain. Paul was sensible of this, and kept
humble and thankful by this conviction; so should we. Nay, though
he was conscious of his own diligence, and zeal, and service, so
that he could say of himself, the grace of God was not given him
in vain, but he laboured more abundantly than they all: he
thought himself so much more the debtor to divine grace. Yet not
I, but the grace of God which was with me. Note, Those who have
the grace of God bestowed on them should take care that it be not
in vain. They should cherish, and exercise, and exert, this
heavenly principle. So did Paul, and therefore laboured with so
much heart and so much success. And yet the more he laboured, and
the more good he did, the more humble he was in his opinion of
himself, and the more disposed to own and magnify the favour of God
towards him, his free and unmerited favour. Note, A humble spirit
will be very apt to own and magnify the grace of God. A humble
spirit is commonly a gracious one. Where pride is subdued there it
is reasonable to believe grace reigns.

After this digression, the apostle returns
to his argument, and tells them (v. 11) that he not only preached the
same gospel himself at all times, and in all places, but that all
the apostles preached the same: Whether it were they or I, so we
preached, and so you believed. Whether Peter, or Paul, or any
other apostle, had converted them to Christianity, all maintained
the same truth, told the same story, preached the same doctrine,
and confirmed it by the same evidence. All agreed in this that
Jesus Christ, and him crucified and slain, and then rising from the
dead, was the very sum and substance of Christianity; and this all
true Christians believe. All the apostles agreed in this testimony;
all Christians agree in the belief of it. By this faith they live.
In this faith they die.

The Resurrection of Saints. (a.
d. 57.)

12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from
the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of
the dead? 13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead,
then is Christ not risen: 14 And if Christ be not risen,
then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also
vain. 15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God;
because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he
raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. 16 For if
the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 17 And if
Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your
sins. 18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ
are perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in
Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

Having confirmed the truth of our Saviour's
resurrection, the apostle goes on to refute those among the
Corinthians who said there would be none: If Christ be preached
that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no
resurrection of the dead? v. 12. It seems from this passage,
and the course of the argument, there were some among the
Corinthians who thought the resurrection an impossibility. This was
a common sentiment among the heathens. But against this the apostle
produces an incontestable fact, namely, the resurrection of Christ;
and he goes on to argue against them from the absurdities that must
follow from their principle. As,

I. If there be (can be) no
resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not risen (v. 13); and again, "If the
dead rise not, cannot be raised or recovered to life, then
is Christ not raised, v.
16. And yet it was foretold in ancient prophecies that
he should rise; and it has been proved by multitudes of
eye-witnesses that he had risen. And will you say, will any among
you dare to say, that is not, cannot be, which God long ago said
should be, and which is now undoubted matter of fact?"

II. It would follow hereupon that the
preaching and faith of the gospel would be vain: If Christ be
not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith vain,v. 14. This
supposition admitted, would destroy the principal evidence of
Christianity; and so, 1. Make preaching vain. "We apostles
should be found false witnesses of God; we pretend to be
God's witnesses for truth, and to work miracles by his power in
confirmation of it, and are all the while deceivers, liars for God,
if in his name, and by power received from him, we go forth, and
publish and assert a thing false in fact, and impossible to be
true. And does not this make us the vainest men in the world, and
our office and ministry the vainest and most useless thing in the
world? What end could we propose to ourselves in undertaking this
hard and hazardous service, if we knew our religion stood on no
better foundation, nay, if we were not well assured of the
contrary? What should we preach for? Would not our labour be wholly
in vain? We can have no very favourable expectations in this life;
and we could have none beyond it. If Christ be not raised, the
gospel is a jest; it is chaff and emptiness." 2. This supposition
would make the faith of Christians vain, as well as the labours of
ministers: If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; you are
yet in your sins (v.
17), yet under the guilt and condemnation of sin,
because it is through his death and sacrifice for sin alone that
forgiveness is to be had. We have redemption through his blood,
the forgiveness of sins, Eph. i.
7. No remission of sins is to be had but through the
shedding of his blood. And had his blood been shed, and his life
taken away, without ever being restored, what evidence could we
have had that through him we should have justification and eternal
life? Had he remained under the power of death, how could he have
delivered us from its power? And how vain a thing is faith in him,
upon this supposition! He must rise for our justification who was
delivered for our sins, or in vain we look for any such benefit by
him. There had been no justification nor salvation if Christ had
not risen. And must not faith in Christ be vain, and of no
signification, if he be still among the dead?

III. Another absurdity following from this
supposition is that those who have fallen asleep in Christ have
perished. if there be no resurrection, they cannot rise, and
therefore are lost, even those who have died in the Christian
faith, and for it. It is plain from this that those among the
Corinthians who denied the resurrection meant thereby a state of
future retribution, and not merely the revival of the flesh; they
took death to be the destruction and extinction of the man, and not
merely of the bodily life; for otherwise the apostle could not
infer the utter loss of those who slept in Jesus, from the
supposition that they would never rise more or that they had no
hopes in Christ after life; for they might have hope of happiness
for their minds if these survived their bodies, and this would
prevent the limiting of their hopes in Christ to this life only.
"Upon supposition there is no resurrection in your sense, no
after-state and life, then dead Christians are quite lost. How vain
a thing were our faith and religion upon this supposition!" And
this,

IV. Would infer that Christ's ministers and
servants were of all men most miserable, as having hope
in him in this life only (v. 19), which is another absurdity
that would follow from asserting no resurrection. Their condition
who hope in Christ would be worse than that of other men. Who
hope in Christ. Note, All who believe in Christ have hope in
him; all who believe in him as a Redeemer hope for redemption and
salvation by him; but if there be no resurrection, or state of
future recompence (which was intended by those who denied the
resurrection at Corinth), their hope in him must be limited to this
life: and, if all their hopes in Christ lie within the compass of
this life, they are in a much worse condition than the rest of
mankind, especially at that time, and under those circumstances, in
which the apostles wrote; for then they had no countenance nor
protection from the rulers of the world, but were hated and
persecuted by all men. Preachers and private Christians therefore
had a hard lot if in this life only they had hope in Christ. Better
be any thing than a Christian upon these terms; for in this world
they are hated, and hunted, and abused, stripped of all worldly
comforts and exposed to all manner of sufferings: they fare much
harder than other men in this life, and yet have no further nor
better hopes. And is it not absurd for one who believes in Christ
to admit a principle that involves so absurd an inference? Can that
man have faith in Christ who can believe concerning him that he
will leave his faithful servants, whether ministers or others, in a
worse state than his enemies? Note, It were a gross absurdity in a
Christian to admit the supposition of no resurrection or future
state. It would leave no hope beyond this world, and would
frequently make his condition the worst in the world. Indeed, the
Christian is by his religion crucified to this world, and taught to
live upon the hope of another. Carnal pleasures are insipid to him
in a great degree; and spiritual and heavenly pleasures are those
which he affects and pants after. How sad is his case indeed, if he
must be dead to worldly pleasures and yet never hope for any
better!

The Resurrection of Christ; The Resurrection
of Saints. (a.
d. 57.)

20 But now is Christ risen from the dead,
and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For
since by man came death, by man came also the
resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so
in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his
own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's
at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall
have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he
shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25
For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is
death. 27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But
when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest
that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 28
And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son
also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him,
that God may be all in all. 29 Else what shall they do which
are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are
they then baptized for the dead? 30 And why stand we in
jeopardy every hour? 31 I protest by your rejoicing which I
have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 32 If after the
manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what
advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for
to morrow we die. 33 Be not deceived: evil communications
corrupt good manners. 34 Awake to righteousness, and sin
not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to
your shame.

In this passage the apostle establishes the
truth of the resurrection of the dead, the holy dead, the dead in
Christ,

I. On the resurrection of Christ. 1.
Because he is indeed the first-fruits of those that slept,v. 20. He has truly
risen himself, and he has risen in this very quality and character,
as the first-fruits of those who sleep in him. As he has assuredly
risen, so in his resurrection there is as much an earnest given
that the dead in him shall rise as there was that the Jewish
harvest in general should be accepted and blessed by the offering
and acceptance of the first-fruits. The whole lump was made holy by
the consecration of the first-fruits (Rom. xi. 16), and the whole body of Christ,
all that are by faith united to him, are by his resurrection
assured of their own. As he has risen, they shall rise; just as the
lump is holy because the first fruits are so. He has not risen
merely for himself, but as head of the body, the church; and
those that sleep in him God will bring with him, 1 Thess. iv. 14. Note, Christ's
resurrection is a pledge and earnest of ours, if we are true
believers in him; because he has risen, we shall rise. We are a
part of the consecrated lump, and shall partake of the acceptance
and favour vouchsafed the first-fruits. This is the first argument
used by the apostle in confirmation of the truth; and it is, 2.
Illustrated by a parallel between the first and second Adam. For,
since by man came death, it was every way proper that by man should
come deliverance from it, or, which is all one, a resurrection,
v. 21. And so,
as in Adam all die, in Christ shall all be made alive; as
through the sin of the first Adam all men became mortal, because
all derived from him the same sinful nature, so through the merit
and resurrection of Christ shall all who are made to partake of the
Spirit, and the spiritual nature, revive, and become immortal. All
who die die through the sin of Adam; all who are raised, in the
sense of the apostle, rise through the merit and power of Christ.
But the meaning is not that, as all men died in Adam, so all men,
without exception, shall be made alive in Christ; for the scope of
the apostle's argument restrains the general meaning. Christ rose
as the first-fruits; therefore those that are Christ's
(v. 23) shall rise
too. Hence it will not follow that all men without exception shall
rise too; but it will fitly follow that all who thus rise, rise in
virtue of Christ's resurrection, and so that their revival is owing
to the man Christ Jesus, as the mortality of all mankind was owing
to the first man; and so, as by man came death, by man came
deliverance. Thus it seemed fit to the divine wisdom that, as the
first Adam ruined his posterity by sin, the second Adam should
raise his seed to a glorious immortality. 3. Before he leaves the
argument he states that there will be an order observed in their
resurrection. What that precisely will be we are nowhere told, but
in the general only here that there will be order observed.
Possibly those may rise first who have held the highest rank, and
done the most eminent service, or suffered the most grievous evils,
or cruel deaths, for Christ's sake. It is only here said that the
first-fruits are supposed to rise first, and afterwards all who are
Christ's, when he shall come again. Not that Christ's resurrection
must in fact go before the resurrection of any of his, but it must
be laid as the foundation: as it was not necessary that those who
lived remote from Jerusalem must go thither and offer the
first-fruits before they could account the lump holy, yet they must
be set apart for this purpose, till they could be offered, which
might be done at any time from pentecost till the feast of
dedication. See Bishop Patrick on Num.
xxiv. 2. The offering of the first-fruits was what made
the lump holy; and the lump was made holy by this offering, though
it was not made before the harvest was gathered in, so it were set
apart for that end, and duly offered afterwards. So Christ's
resurrection must, in order of nature, precede that of his saints,
though some of these might rise in order of time before him. It is
because he has risen that they rise. Note, Those that are Christ's
must rise, because of their relation to him.

II. He argues from the continuance of the
mediatorial kingdom till all Christ's enemies are destroyed, the
last of which is death, v.
24-26. He has risen, and, upon his resurrection, was
invested with sovereign empire, had all power in heaven and
earth put into his hands (Matt.
xxviii. 18), had a name given him above every name,
that every knee might bow to him, and every tongue confess him
Lord. Phil. ii. 9-11.
And the administration of this kingdom must continue in his hands
till all opposing power, and rule, and authority, be put
down (v. 24),
till all enemies are put under his feet (v. 25), and till the last enemy is
destroyed, which is death, v. 26.

1. This argument implies in it all these
particulars:—(1.) That our Saviour rose from the dead to have all
power put into his hands, and have and administer a kingdom, as
Mediator: For this end he died, and rose, and revived, that he
might be Lord both of the dead and living, Rom. xiv. 9. (2.) That this mediatorial
kingdom is to have an end, at least as far as it is concerned in
bringing his people safely to glory, and subduing all his and their
enemies: Then cometh the end, v. 24. (3.) That it is not to have an
end till all opposing power be put down, and all enemies brought to
his feet, v. 24,
25. (4.) That, among other enemies, death must be
destroyed (v. 26)
or abolished; its powers over its members must be disannulled. Thus
far the apostle is express; but he leaves us to make the inference
that therefore the saints must rise, else death and the grave would
have power over them, nor would our Saviour's kingly power prevail
against the last enemy of his people and annul its power. When
saints shall live again, and die no more, then, and not till then,
will death be abolished, which must be brought about before our
Saviour's mediatorial kingdom is delivered up, which yet must be in
due time. The saints therefore shall live again and die no more.
This is the scope of the argument; but,

2. The apostle drops several hints in the
course of it which it will be proper to notice: as, (1.) That our
Saviour, as man and mediator between God and man, has a delegated
royalty, a kingdom given: All things are put under him, he
excepted that did put all things under him, v. 27. As man, all his authority must
be delegated. And, though his mediation supposes his divine nature,
yet as Mediator he does not so explicitly sustain the character of
God, but a middle person between God and man, partaking of both
natures, human and divine, as he was to reconcile both parties, God
and man, and receiving commission and authority from God the Father
to act in this office. The Father appears, in this whole
dispensation, in the majesty and with the authority of God: the
Son, made man, appears as the minister of the Father, though he is
God as well as the Father. Nor is this passage to be understood of
the eternal dominion over all his creatures which belongs to him as
God, but of a kingdom committed to him as Mediator and God-man, and
that chiefly after his resurrection, when, having overcome, he sat
down with his Father on his throne, Rev. iii. 21. Then was the prediction
verified, I have set my king upon my holy hill of Zion
(Ps. ii. 6), placed him on
his throne. This is meant by the phrase so frequent in the writings
of the New Testament, of sitting at the right hand of God
(Mark xvi. 19; Rom.
viii. 34; Col. iii. 1, &c.), on the right hand of
power (Mark xiv. 62; Luke
xxii. 69), on the right hand of the throne of God
(Heb. xii. 2), on the
right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,Heb. viii. 1. Sitting down
in this seat is taking upon him the exercise of his mediatorial
power and royalty, which was done upon his ascension into heaven,
Mark xvi. 19. And it is
spoken of in scripture as a recompence made him for his deep
humiliation and self-abasement, in becoming man, and dying for man
the accursed death of the cross, Phil. ii. 6-12. Upon his ascension, he was
made head over all things to the church, had power given him to
govern and protect it against all its enemies, and in the end
destroy them and complete the salvation of all that believe in him.
This is not a power appertaining to Godhead as such; it is not
original and unlimited power, but power given and limited to
special purposes. And though he who has it is God, yet, inasmuch as
he is somewhat else besides God, and in this whole dispensation
acts not as God, but as Mediator, not as the offended Majesty, but
as one interposing in favour of his offending creatures, and this
by virtue of his consent and commission who acts and appears always
in that character, he may properly be said to have this power given
him; he may reign as God, with power unlimited, and yet may reign
as Mediator, with a power delegated, and limited to these
particular purposes. (2.) That this delegated royalty must at
length be delivered up to the Father, from whom it was
received (v. 24);
for it is a power received for particular ends and purposes, a
power to govern and protect his church till all the members of it
be gathered in, and the enemies of it for ever subdued and
destroyed (v. 25,
26), and when these ends shall be obtained the power and
authority will not need to be continued. The Redeemer must reign
till his enemies be destroyed, and the salvation of his church and
people accomplished; and, when this end is attained, then will he
deliver up the power which he had only for this purpose, though he
may continue to reign over his glorified church and body in heaven;
and in this sense it may notwithstanding be said that he shall
reign for ever and ever (Rev. xi.
15), that he shall reign over the house of Jacob for
ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end (Luke i. 33), that his dominion is
an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, Dan. vii. 14. See also Mich. iv. 7. (3.) The Redeemer shall
certainly reign till the last enemy of his people be destroyed,
till death itself be abolished, till his saints revive and recover
perfect life, never to be in fear and danger of dying any more. He
shall have all power in heaven and earth till then—he who loved
us, and gave himself for us, and washed us from our sins in his own
blood—he who is so nearly related to us, and so much concerned
for us. What support should this be to his saints in every hour of
distress and temptation! He is alive who was dead, and liveth
for ever, and doth reign, and will continue to reign, till the
redemption of his people be completed, and the utter ruin of their
enemies effected. (4.) When this is done, and all things are put
under his feet, then shall the Son become subject to him that put
all things under him, that God may be all in all, v. 28. The meaning of this I
take to be that then the man Christ Jesus, who hath appeared in so
much majesty during the whole administration of his kingdom, shall
appear upon giving it up to be a subject of the Father. Things are
in scripture many times said to be when they are
manifested and made to appear; and this delivering up
of the kingdom will make it manifest that he who appeared in the
majesty of the sovereign king was, during this administration, a
subject of God. The glorified humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ,
with all the dignity and power conferred on it, was no more than a
glorious creature. This will appear when the kingdom shall be
delivered up; and it will appear to the divine glory, that God may
be all in all, that the accomplishment of our salvation may appear
altogether divine, and God alone may have the honour of it. Note,
Though the human nature must be employed in the work of our
redemption, yet God was all in all in it. It was the Lord's
doing and should be marvellous in our eyes.

III. He argues for the resurrection, from
the case of those who were baptized for the dead (v. 29): What shall those
do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why
are they baptized for the dead? What shall they do if the dead
rise not? What have they done? How vain a thing hath their baptism
been! Must they stand by it, or renounce it? why are they baptized
for the dead, if the dead rise not? hyper ton nekron.
But what is this baptism for the dead? It is necessary to be known,
that the apostle's argument may be understood; whether it be only
argumentum ad hominem, or ad rem; that is, whether it
conclude for the thing in dispute universally, or only against the
particular persons who were baptized for the dead. But who shall
interpret this very obscure passage, which, though it consists of
no more than three words, besides the articles, has had more than
three times three senses put on it by interpreters? It is not
agreed what is meant by baptism, whether it is to be taken in a
proper or figurative sense, and, if in a proper sense, whether it
is to be understood or Christian baptism properly so called, or
some other ablution. And as little is it agreed who are the dead,
or in what sense the preposition hyper is to be
taken. Some understand the dead of our Saviour himself; vide
Whitby in loc. Why are persons baptized in the name of a
dead Saviour, a Saviour who remains among the dead, if the dead
rise not? But it is, I believe, and instance perfectly singular for
hoi nekroi to mean no more than one dead person; it
is a signification which the words have nowhere else. And the
hoi baptizomenoi (the baptized) seem plainly
to mean some particular persons, not Christians in general, which
yet must be the signification if the hoi nekroi
(the dead) be understood of our Saviour. Some understand the
passage of the martyrs: Why do they suffer martyrdom for their
religion? This is sometimes called the baptism of blood by
ancients, and, by our Saviour himself, baptism indefinitely,
Matt. xx. 22; Luke xii.
50. But in what sense can those who die martyrs for
their religion be said to be baptized (that is, die martyrs) for
the dead? Some understand it of a custom that was observed, as some
of the ancients tell us, among many who professed the Christian
name in the first ages, of baptizing some in the name and stead of
catechumens dying without baptism. But this savoured of such
superstition that, if the custom had prevailed in the church so
soon, the apostle would hardly have mentioned it without signifying
a dislike of it. Some understand it of baptizing over the dead,
which was a custom, they tell us, that early obtained; and this to
testify their hope of the resurrection. This sense is pertinent to
the apostle's argument, but it appears not that any such practice
was in use in the apostle's time. Others understand it of those who
have been baptized for the sake, or on occasion, of the martyrs,
that is, the constancy with which they died for their religion.
Some were doubtless converted to Christianity by observing this:
and it would have been a vain thing for persons to have become
Christians upon this motive, if the martyrs, by losing their lives
for religion, became utterly extinct, and were to live no more. But
the church at Corinth had not, in all probability, suffered much
persecution at this time, or seem many instances of martyrdom among
them, nor had many converts been made by the constancy and firmness
which the martyrs discovered. Not to observe that hoi
nekroi seems to be too general an expression to mean only
the martyred dead. It is as easy an explication of the phrase as
any I have met with, and as pertinent to the argument, to suppose
the hoi nekroi to mean some among the Corinthians,
who had been taken off by the hand of God. We read that many
were sickly among them, and many slept (ch. xi. 30), because of their
disorderly behaviour at the Lord's table. These executions might
terrify some into Christianity; as the miraculous earthquake did
the jailer, Acts xvi. 29,
30, &c. Persons baptized on such an occasion might
be properly said to be baptized for the dead, that is, on their
account. And the hoi baptizomenoi (the
baptized) and the hoi nekroi (the dead)
answer to one another; and upon this supposition the Corinthians
could not mistake the apostle's meaning. "Now," says he, "what
shall they do, and why were they baptized, if the dead rise not?
You have a general persuasion that these men have done right, and
acted wisely, and as they ought, on this occasion; but why, if the
dead rise not, seeing they may perhaps hasten their death, by
provoking a jealous God, and have no hopes beyond it?" But whether
this be the meaning, or whatever else be, doubtless the apostle's
argument was good and intelligible to the Corinthians. And his next
is as plain to us.

IV. He argues from the absurdity of his own
conduct and that of other Christians upon this supposition,

1. It would be a foolish thing for them to
run so many hazards (v.
30): "Why stand we in jeopardy every hour? Why do
we expose ourselves to continual peril—we Christians, especially
we apostles?" Every one knows that it was dangerous being a
Christian, and much more a preacher and an apostle, at that time.
"Now," says the apostle, "what fools are we to run these hazards,
if we have no better hopes beyond death, if when we die we die
wholly, and revive no more!" Note, Christianity were a foolish
profession if it proposed no hopes beyond this life, at least in
such hazardous times as attended the first profession of it; it
required men to risk all the blessings and comforts of this life,
and to face and endure all the evils of it, without any future
prospects. And is this a character of his religion fit for a
Christian to endure? And must he not fix this character on it if he
give up his future hopes, and deny the resurrection of the dead?
This argument the apostle brings home to himself: "I
protest," says he, "by your rejoicing in Jesus Christ,
by all the comforts of Christianity, and all the peculiar succours
and supports of our holy faith, that I die daily," v. 31. He was in continual
danger of death, and carried his life, as we say, in his hand. And
why should he thus expose himself, if he had no hopes after life?
To live in daily view and expectation of death, and yet have no
prospect beyond it, must be very heartless and uncomfortable, and
his case, upon this account, a very melancholy one. He had need be
very well assured of the resurrection of the dead, or he was guilty
of extreme weakness, in hazarding all that was dear to him in this
world, and his life into the bargain. He had encountered very great
difficulties and fierce enemies; he had fought with beasts at
Ephesus (v.
32), and was in danger of being pulled to pieces by an
enraged multitude, stirred up by Demetrius and the other craftsmen
(Acts xix. 24, &c.),
though some understand this literally of Paul's being exposed to
fight with wild beasts in the amphitheatre, at a Roman show in that
city. And Nicephorus tells a formal story to this purport, and of
the miraculous complaisance of the lions to him when they came near
him. But so remarkable a trial and circumstance of his life,
methinks, would not have been passed over by Luke, and much less by
himself, when he gives us so large and particular a detail of his
sufferings, 2 Cor. xi. 24,
ad fin. When he mentioned that he was five times scourged of
the Jews, thrice beaten with rods, once stoned, thrice shipwrecked,
it is strange that he should not have said that he was once exposed
to fight with the beasts. I take it, therefore, that this fighting
with beasts is a figurative expression, that the beasts intended
were men of a fierce and ferine disposition, and that this refers
to the passage above cited. "Now," says he, "what advantage have I
from such contests, if the dead rise not? Why should I die daily,
expose myself daily to the danger of dying by violent hands, if the
dead rise not? And if post mortem nihil—if I am to
perish by death, and expect nothing after it, could any thing
be more weak?" Was Paul so senseless? Had he given the Corinthians
any ground to entertain such a thought of him? If he had not been
well assured that death would have been to his advantage, would he,
in this stupid manner, have thrown away his life? Could any thing
but the sure hopes of a better life after death have extinguished
the love of life in him to this degree? "What advantageth it me,
if the dead rise not? What can I propose to myself?" Note, It
is very lawful and fit for a Christian to propose advantage to
himself by his fidelity to God. Thus did Paul. Thus did our blessed
Lord himself, Heb. xii. 2.
And thus we are bidden to do after his example, and have our fruit
to holiness, that our end may be everlasting life. This is the very
end of our faith, even the salvation of our souls (1 Pet. i. 9), not only what it will
issue in, but what we should aim at.

2. It would be a much wiser thing to take
the comforts of this life: Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow
we die (v. 32);
let us turn epicures. Thus this sentence means in the prophet,
Isa. xxii. 13. Let us even
live like beasts, if we must die like them. This would be a wiser
course, if there were no resurrection, no after-life or state, than
to abandon all the pleasures of life, and offer and expose
ourselves to all the miseries of life, and live in continual peril
of perishing by savage rage and cruelty. This passage also plainly
implies, as I have hinted above, that those who denied the
resurrection among the Corinthians were perfect Sadducees, of whose
principles we have this account in the holy writings, that they
say, There is no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit
(Acts xxiii. 8), that is,
"Man is all body, there is nothing in him to survive the body, nor
will that, when once he is dead, ever revive again." Such Sadducees
were the men against whom the apostle argued; otherwise his
arguments had no force in them; for, though the body should never
revive, yet, as long as the mind survived it, he might have much
advantage from all the hazards he ran for Christ's sake. Nay, it is
certain that the mind is to be the principal seat and subject of
the heavenly glory and happiness. But, if there were no hopes after
death, would not every wise man prefer an easy comfortable life
before such a wretched one as the apostle led; nay, and endeavour
to enjoy the comforts of life as fast as possible, because the
continuance of it is short? Note, Nothing but the hopes of better
things hereafter can enable a man to forego all the comforts and
pleasures here, and embrace poverty, contempt, misery, and death.
Thus did the apostles and primitive Christians; but how wretched
was their case, and how foolish their conduct, if they deceived
themselves, and abused the world with vain and false hopes!

V. The apostle closes his argument with a
caution, exhortation, and reproof. 1. A caution against the
dangerous conversation of bad men, men of loose lives and
principles: Be not deceived, says he; evil communications
corrupt good manners, v.
33. Possibly, some of those who said that there was no
resurrection of the dead were men of loose lives, and endeavoured
to countenance their vicious practices by so corrupt a principle;
and had that speech often in their mouths Let us eat and drink,
for to-morrow we die. Now, the apostle grants that their talk
was to the purpose if there was no future state. But, having
confuted their principle, he now warns the Corinthians how
dangerous such men's conversation must prove. He tells them that
they would probably be corrupted by them, and fall in with their
course of life, if they gave into their evil principles. Note, Bad
company and conversation are likely to make bad men. Those who
would keep their innocence must keep good company. Error and vice
are infectious: and, if we would avoid the contagion, we must keep
clear of those who have taken it. He that walketh with wise men
shall be wise; but a companion of fools shall be destroyed,Prov. xiii. 20. 2. Here is
an exhortation to break off their sins, and rouse themselves, and
lead a more holy and righteous life (v. 34): Awake to
righteousness, or awake righteously, eknepsate
dikaios,and sin not, or sin no more. "Rouse
yourselves, break off your sins by repentance: renounce and forsake
every evil way, correct whatever is amiss, and do not, by sloth and
stupidity, be led away into such conversation and principles as
will sap your Christian hopes, and corrupt your practice." The
disbelief of a future state destroys all virtue and piety. But the
best improvement to be made of the truth is to cease from sin, and
set ourselves to the business of religion, and that in good
earnest. If there will be a resurrection and a future life, we
should live and act as those who believe it, and should not give
into such senseless and sottish notions as will debauch our morals,
and render us loose and sensual in our lives. 3. Here is a reproof,
and a sharp one, to some at least among them: Some of you have
not the knowledge of God; I speak this to your shame. Note, It
is a shame in Christians not to have the knowledge of God. The
Christian religion gives the best information that can be had about
God, his nature, and grace, and government. Those who profess this
religion reproach themselves, by remaining without the knowledge of
God; for it must be owing to their own sloth, and slight of God,
that they are ignorant of him. And is it not a horrid shame for a
Christian to slight God, and be so wretchedly ignorant in matters
that so nearly and highly concern him? Note, also, It must be
ignorance of God that leads men into the disbelief of a
resurrection and future life. Those who know God know that he will
not abandon his faithful servants, nor leave them exposed to such
hardships and sufferings without any recompence or reward. They
know he is not unfaithful nor unkind, to forget their labour and
patience, their faithful services and cheerful sufferings, or let
their labour be in vain. But I am apt to think that the
expression has a much stronger meaning; that there were atheistical
people among them who hardly owned a God, or one who had any
concern with or took cognizance of human affairs. These were indeed
a scandal and shame to any Christian church. Note, Real atheism
lies at the bottom of men's disbelief of a future state. Those who
own a God and a providence, and observe how unequal the
distributions of the present life are, and how frequently the best
men fare worst, can hardly doubt an after state, where every thing
will be set to rights.

The Resurrection of Saints. (a.
d. 57.)

35 But some man will say, How are the
dead raised up? and with what body do they come? 36
Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except
it die: 37 And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that
body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of
some other grain: 38 But God giveth it a body as it
hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. 39 All
flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind
of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes,
and another of birds. 40 There are also
celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the
celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial
is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun,
and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for
one star differeth from another star in glory.
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in
corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 43 It is sown in
dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is
raised in power: 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised
a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual
body. 45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a
living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but
that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second
man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As is the
earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is
the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear
the image of the heavenly. 50 Now this I say, brethren, that
flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth
corruption inherit incorruption.

The apostle comes now to answer a plausible
and principal objection against the doctrine of the resurrection of
the dead, concerning which observe the proposal of the objection:
Some man will say, How are the dead raised up? And with what
body do they come? v.
35. The objection is plainly two-fold. How are they
raised up? that is, "By what means? How can they be raised?
What power is equal to this effect?" It was an opinion that
prevailed much among the heathens, and the Sadducees seem to have
been in the same sentiment, that it was not within the compass of
divine power, mortales æternitate donare, aut revocare
defunctos—to make mortal men immortal, or revive and restore the
dead. Such sort of men those seem to have been who among the
Corinthians denied the resurrection of the dead, and object here,
"How are they raised? How should they be raised? Is it not utterly
impossible?" The other part of the objection is about the quality
of their bodies, who shall rise: "With what body will they
come? Will it be with the same body, with like shape, and form,
and stature, and members, and qualities, or various?" The former
objection is that of those who opposed the doctrine, the latter the
enquiry of curious doubters.

I. To the former the apostle replies by
telling them this was to be brought about by divine power, that
very power which they had all observed to do something very like
it, year after year, in the death and revival of the corn; and
therefore it was an argument of great weakness and stupidity to
doubt whether the resurrection of the dead might not be effected by
the same power: Thou fool! that which thou sowest is not
quickened unless it die, v. 36. It must first corrupt, before
it will quicken and spring up. It not only sprouts after it is
dead, but it must die that it may live. And why should any be so
foolish as to imagine that the man once dead cannot be made to live
again, by the same power which every year brings the dead grain to
life? This is the substance of the apostle's answer to the first
question. Note, It is a foolish thing to question the divine power
to raise the dead, when we see it every day quickening and reviving
things that are dead.

II. But he is longer in replying to the
second enquiry.

1. He begins by observing that there is a
change made in the grain that is sown: It is not that body which
shall be that is sown, but bare grain, of wheat or
barley, &c.; but God gives it such a body as he will, and in
such way as he will, only so as to distinguish the kinds from each
other. Every seed sown has its proper body, is constituted
of such materials, and figured in such a manner, as are proper to
it, proper to that kind. This is plainly in the divine power,
though we no more know how it is done than we know how a dead man
is raised to life again. It is certain the grain undergoes a great
change, and it is intimated in this passage that so will the dead,
when they rise again, and live again, in their bodies, after
death.

2. He proceeds hence to observe that there
is a great deal of variety among others bodies, as there is among
plants: as, (1.) In bodies of flesh: All flesh is not the
same; that of men is of one kind, that of beasts another,
another that of fishes, and that of birds another, v. 39. There is a variety in
all the kinds, and somewhat peculiar in every kind, to distinguish
it from the other. (2.) In bodies celestial and terrestrial there
is also a difference; and what is for the glory of one is not for
the other; for the true glory of every being consists in its
fitness for its rank and state. Earthly bodies are not adapted to
the heavenly regions, nor heavenly bodies fitted to the condition
of earthly beings. Nay, (3.) There is a variety of glory among
heavenly bodies themselves: There is one glory of the sun, and
another of the moon, and another of the stars; for one star differs
from another star in glory, v. 41. All this is to intimate to us
that the bodies of the dead, when they rise, will be so far
changed, that they will be fitted for the heavenly regions, and
that there will be a variety of glories among the bodies of the
dead, when they shall be raised, as there is among the sun, and
moon, and stars, nay among the stars themselves. All this carries
an intimation along with it that it must be as easy to divine power
to raise the dead, and recover their mouldered bodies, as out of
the same materials to form so many different kinds of flesh and
plants, and, for aught we know, celestial bodies as well as
terrestrial ones. The sun and stars may, for aught we know, be
composed of the same materials as the earth we tread on, though as
much refined and changed by the divine skill and power. And can he,
out of the same materials, form such various beings, and yet not be
able to raise the dead? Having thus prepared the way, he comes,

3. To speak directly to the point: So
also, says he, is the resurrection of the dead; so (as
the plant growing out of the putrefied grain), so as no longer to
be a terrestrial but a celestial body, and varying in glory from
the other dead, who are raised, as one star does from another. But
he specifies some particulars: as, (1.) It is sown in
corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown. Burying
the dead is like sowing them; it is like committing the seed to the
earth, that it may spring out of it again. And our bodies, which
are sown, are corruptible, liable to putrefy and moulder, and
crumble to dust; but, when we rise, they will be out of the power
of the grave, and never more be liable to corruption. (2.) It is
sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory. Ours is at present a
vile body, Phil. iii. 21.
Nothing is more loathsome than a dead body; it is thrown into the
grave as a despised and broken vessel, in which there is no
pleasure. But at the resurrection a glory will be put upon it; it
will be made like the glorious body of our Saviour; it will be
purged from all the dregs of earth, and refined into an ethereal
substance, and shine out with a splendour resembling his. (3.)
It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is laid in
the earth, a poor helpless thing, wholly in the power of death,
deprived of all vital capacities and powers, of life and strength:
it is utterly unable to move or stir. But when we arise our bodies
will have heavenly life and vigour infused into them; they will be
hale, and firm, and durable, and lively, and liable no more to any
infirmity, weakness, or decay. (4.) It is sown a natural, or
animal body, soma psychikon, a body fitted to
the low condition and sensitive pleasures and enjoyments of this
life, which are all gross in comparison of the heavenly state and
enjoyments. But when we rise it will be quite otherwise; our body
will rise spiritual. Not that body would be changed into spirit:
this would be a contradiction in our common conceptions; it would
be as much as to say, Body changed into what is not body, matter
made immaterial. The expression is to be understood comparatively.
We shall at the resurrection have bodies purified and refined to
the last degree, made light and agile; and, though they are not
changed into spirit, yet made fit to be perpetual associates of
spirits made perfect. And why should it not be as much in the power
of God to raise incorruptible, glorious, lively, spiritual bodies,
out of the ruins of those vile, corruptible, lifeless, and animal
ones, as first to make matter out of nothing, and then, out of the
same mass of matter, produce such variety of beings, both in earth
and heaven? To God all things are possible; and this cannot
be impossible.

4. He illustrates this by a comparison of
the first and second Adam: There is an animal body, says he,
and there is a spiritual body; and then goes into the
comparison in several instances. (1.) As we have our natural body,
the animal body we have in this world, from the first Adam, we
expect our spiritual body from the second. This is implied in the
whole comparison. (2.) This is but consonant to the different
characters these two persons bear: The first Adam was made a
living soul, such a being as ourselves, and with a power of
propagating such beings as himself, and conveying to them a nature
and animal body like his own, but none other, nor better. The
second Adam is a quickening Spirit; he is the resurrection
and the life, John xi. 25.
He hath life in himself, and quickeneth whom he will, John v. 20, 21. The first man
was of the earth, made out of the earth, and was earthy; his
body was fitted to the region of his abode: but the second Adam
is the Lord from heaven; he who came down from heaven, and
giveth life to the world (John vi.
33); he who came down from heaven and was in heaven at
the same time (John iii.
13); the Lord of heaven and earth. If the first Adam
could communicate to us natural and animal bodies, cannot the
second Adam make our bodies spiritual ones? If the deputed lord of
this lower creation could do the one, cannot the Lord from heaven,
the Lord of heaven and earth, do the other? (3.) We must first have
natural bodies from the first Adam before we can have spiritual
bodies from the second (v.
49); we must bear the image of the earthy before we
can bear the image of the heavenly. Such is the established
order of Providence. We must have weak, frail, mortal bodies by
descent from the first Adam, before we can have lively, spiritual,
and immortal ones by the quickening power of the second. We must
die before we can live to die no more. (4.) Yet if we are Christ's,
true believers in him (for this whole discourse relates to the
resurrection of the saints), it is as certain that we shall have
spiritual bodies as it is now that we have natural or animal ones.
By these we are as the first Adam, earthy, we bear his image; by
those we shall be as the second Adam, have bodies like his own,
heavenly, and so bear him image. And we are as certainly intended
to bear the one as we have borne the other. As surely therefore as
we have had natural bodies, we shall have spiritual ones. The dead
in Christ shall not only rise, but shall rise thus gloriously
changed.

5. He sums up this argument by assigning
the reason of this change (v.
50): Now this I say that flesh and blood cannot
inherit the kingdom of God; nor doth corruption inherit
incorruption. The natural body is flesh and blood, consisting
of bones, muscles, nerves, veins, arteries, and their several
fluids; and, as such, it is of a corruptible frame and form, liable
to dissolution, to rot and moulder. But no such thing shall inherit
the heavenly regions; for this were for corruption to inherit
incorruption, which is little better than a contradiction in terms.
The heavenly inheritance is incorruptible, and never fadeth away,
1 Pet. i. 4. How can this be
possessed by flesh and blood, which is corruptible and will fade
away? It must be changed into ever-during substance, before it can
be capable of possessing the heavenly inheritance. The sum is that
the bodies of the saints, when they shall rise again, will be
greatly changed from what they are now, and much for the better.
They are now corruptible, flesh and blood; they will be then
incorruptible, glorious, and spiritual bodies, fitted to the
celestial world and state, where they are ever afterwards to dwell,
and have their eternal inheritance.

The Resurrection of Saints. (a.
d. 57.)

51 Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not
all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in
the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall
sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be
changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption,
and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when
this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal
shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the
saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy
victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the
strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be
to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus
Christ.

To confirm what he had said of this
change,

I. He here tells them what had been
concealed from or unknown to them till then—that all the saints
would not die, but all would be changed. Those that are alive at
our Lord's coming will be caught up into the clouds, without dying,
1 Thess. iv. 11. But it is
plain from this passage that it will not be without changing from
corruption to incorruption. The frame of their living bodies shall
be thus altered, as well as those that are dead; and this in a
moment, in the twinkling of an eye, v. 52. What cannot almighty power
effect? That power that calls the dead into life can surely thus
soon and suddenly change the living; for changed they must be as
well as the dead, because flesh and blood cannot inherit the
kingdom of God. This is the mystery which the apostle shows the
Corinthians: Behold, I show you a mystery; or bring into
open light a truth dark and unknown before. Note, There are many
mysteries shown to us in the gospel; many truths that before were
utterly unknown are there made known; many truths that were but
dark and obscure before are there brought into open day, and
plainly revealed; and many things are in part revealed that will
never be fully known, nor perhaps clearly understood. The apostle
here makes known a truth unknown before, which is that the saints
living at our Lord's second coming will not die, but be changed,
that this change will be made in a moment, in the twinkling of an
eye, and at the sound of the last trump; for, as he tells us
elsewhere, the Lord himself shall descend with a shout, with a
voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God (1 Thess. iv. 16), so here, the
trumpet must sound. It is the loud summons of all the living
and all the dead, to come and appear at the tribunal of Christ. At
this summons the graves shall open, the dead saints shall rise
incorruptible, and the living saints be changed to the same
incorruptible state, v.
52.

II. He assigns the reason of this change
(v. 53): For
this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put
on immortality. How otherwise could the man be a fit inhabitant
of the incorruptible regions, or be fitted to possess the eternal
inheritance? How can that which is corruptible and mortal enjoy
what is incorruptible, permanent, and immortal? This corruptible
body must be made incorruptible, this mortal body must be changed
into immortal, that the man may be capable of enjoying the
happiness designed for him. Note, It is this corruptible that must
put on incorruption; the demolished fabric that must be reared
again. What is sown must be quickened. Saints will come in their
own bodies (v. 38),
not in other bodies.

III. He lets us know what will follow upon
this change of the living and dead in Christ: Then shall be
brought to pass that saying, Death is swallowed up in victory;
or, He will swallow up death in victory. Isa. xxv. 8. For mortality shall be then
swallowed up of life (2 Cor. v.
4), and death perfectly subdued and conquered, and
saints for ever delivered from its power. Such a conquest shall be
obtained over it that it shall for ever disappear in those regions
to which our Lord will bear his risen saints. And therefore will
the saints hereupon sing their epinikion, their
song of triumph. Then, when this mortal shall have put on
immortality, will death be swallowed up, for ever swallowed up,
eis nikos. Christ hinders it from swallowing his
saints when they die; but, when they rise again, death shall, as to
them, be swallowed for ever. And upon this destruction of death
will they break out into a song of triumph.

1. They will glory over death as a
vanquished enemy, and insult this great and terrible destroyer:
"O death! where is thy sting? Where is now thy sting, thy
power to hurt? What mischief hast thou done us? We are dead; but
behold we live again, and shall die no more. Thou art vanquished
and disarmed, and we are out of the reach of thy deadly dart. Where
now is thy fatal artillery? Where are thy stores of death? We fear
no further mischiefs from thee, nor heed thy weapons, but defy thy
power, and despise thy wrath. And, O grave! where is thy
victory? Where now is thy victory? What has become of it? Where
are the spoils and trophies of it? Once we were thy prisoners, but
the prison-doors are burst open, the locks and bolts have been
forced to give way, our shackles are knocked off, and we are for
ever released. Captivity is taken captive. The imaginary victor is
conquered, and forced to resign his conquest and release his
captives. Thy triumphs, grave, are at an end. The bonds of death
are loosed, and we are at liberty, and are never more to be hurt by
death, nor imprisoned in the grave." In a moment, the power of
death, and the conquests and spoils of the grave, are gone; and, as
to the saints, the very signs of them will not remain. Where are
they? Thus will they raise themselves, when they become immortal,
to the honour of their Saviour and the praise of divine grace: they
shall glory over vanquished death.

2. The foundation for this triumph is here
intimated, (1.) In the account given whence death had its power to
hurt: The sting of death is sin. This gives venom to his
dart: this alone puts it into the power of death to hurt and kill.
Sin unpardoned, and nothing else, can keep any under his power. And
the strength of sin is the law; it is the divine threatening
against the transgressors of the law, the curse there denounced,
that gives power to sin. Note, Sin is the parent of death, and
gives it all its hurtful power. By one man sin entered into the
world, and death by sin, Rom. v.
12. It is its cursed progeny and offspring. (2.) In the
account given of the victory saints obtain over it through Jesus
Christ, v. 56.
The sting of death is sin; but Christ, by dying, has taken
out this sting. He has made atonement for sin; he has obtained
remission of it. It may hiss therefore, but it cannot hurt. The
strength of sin is the law; but the curse of the law is removed
by our Redeemer's becoming a curse for us. So that sin is
deprived of its strength and sting, through Christ, that is, by his
incarnation, suffering, and death. Death may seize a believer, but
cannot sting him, cannot hold him in his power. There is a day
coming when the grave shall open, the bands of death be loosed, the
dead saints revive, and become incorruptible and immortal, and put
out of the reach of death for ever. And then will it plainly appear
that, as to them, death will have lost its strength and sting; and
all by the mediation of Christ, by his dying in their room. By
dying, he conquered death, and spoiled the grave; and, through
faith in him, believers become sharers in his conquests. They often
rejoice beforehand, in the hope of this victory; and, when they
arise glorious from the grave, they will boldly triumph over death.
Note, It is altogether owing to the grace of God in Christ that sin
is pardoned and death disarmed. The law puts arms into the hand of
death, to destroy the sinner; but pardon of sin takes away this
power from the law, and deprives death of its strength and sting.
It is by the grace of God, through the redemption which is in
Christ Jesus, that we are freely justified, Rom. iii. 24. It is no wonder, therefore, (3.)
If this triumph of the saints over death should issue in
thanksgiving to God: Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory
through Christ Jesus, our Lord, v. 57. The way to sanctify all our
joy is to make it tributary to the praise of God. Then only do we
enjoy our blessings and honours in a holy manner when God has his
revenue of glory out of it, and we are free to pay it to him. And
this really improves and exalts our satisfaction. We are conscious
at once of having done our duty and enjoyed our pleasure. And what
can be more joyous in itself than the saints' triumph over death,
when they shall rise again? And shall they not then rejoice in the
Lord, and be glad in the God of their salvation? Shall not their
souls magnify the Lord? When he shows such wonders to the dead,
shall they not arise and praise him? Ps. lxxxviii. 10. Those who remain under the
power of death can have no heart to praise; but such conquests and
triumphs will certainly tune the tongues of the saints to
thankfulness and praise—praise for the victory (it is great and
glorious in itself), and for the means whereby it is obtained (it
is given of God through Christ Jesus), a victory obtained not by
our power, but the power of God; not given because we are worthy,
but because Christ is so, and has by dying obtained this conquest
for us. Must not this circumstance endear the victory to us, and
heighten our praise to God? Note, How many springs of joy to the
saints and thanksgiving to God are opened by the death and
resurrection, the sufferings and conquests, of our Redeemer! With
what acclamations will saints rising from the dead applaud him! How
will the heaven of heavens resound his praises for ever! Thanks
be to God will be the burden of their song; and angels will
join the chorus, and declare their consent with a loud Amen,
Hallelujah.

The Obligations of
Christians. (a.
d. 57.)

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye
stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,
forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the
Lord.

In this verse we have the improvement of
the whole argument, in an exhortation, enforced by a motive
resulting plainly from it.

I. An exhortation, and this threefold:—1.
That they should be stedfast—hedraioi, firm, fixed
in the faith of the gospel, that gospel which he had preached and
they had received, namely, That Christ died for our sins, and
arose again the third day, according to the scriptures
(v. 3, 4), and
fixed in the faith of the glorious resurrection of the dead, which,
as he had shown, had so near and necessary a connection with the
former. "Do not let your belief of these truths be shaken or
staggered. They are most certain, and of the last importance."
Note, Christians should be stedfast believers of this great article
of the resurrection of the dead. It is evidently founded on the
death of Christ. Because he lives, his servants shall live
also, John xiv. 19.
And it is of the last importance; a disbelief of a future life will
open a way to all manner of licentiousness, and corrupt men's
morals to the last degree. It will be easy and natural to infer
hence that we may live like beasts, and eat and drink, for
to-morrow we die. 2. He exhorts them to be immovable,
namely, in their expectation of this great privilege of being
raised incorruptible and immortal. Christians should not be moved
away from this hope of this gospel (Col. i. 23), this glorious and blessed hope;
they should not renounce nor resign their comfortable expectations.
They are not vain, but solid hopes, built upon sure foundations,
the purchase and power of their risen Saviour, and the promise of
God, to whom it is impossible to lie—hopes that shall be their
most powerful supports under all the pressures of life, the most
effectual antidotes against the fears of death, and the most
quickening motives to diligence and perseverance in Christian duty.
Should they part with these hopes? Should they suffer them to be
shaken? Note, Christians should live in the most firm expectation
of a blessed resurrection. This hope should be an anchor to their
souls, firm and sure, Heb. vi.
19. 3. He exhorts them to abound in the work of the
Lord, and that always, in the Lord's service, in obeying
the Lord's commands. They should be diligent and persevering
herein, and going on towards perfection; they should be continually
making advances in true piety, and ready and apt for every good
work. The most cheerful duty, the greatest diligence, the most
constant perseverance, become those who have such glorious hopes.
Can we too much abound in zeal and diligence in the Lord's work,
when we are assured of such abundant recompences in a future life?
What vigour and resolution, what constancy and patience, should
those hopes inspire! Note, Christians should not stint themselves
as to their growth in holiness, but be always improving in sound
religion, and abounding in the work of the Lord.

II. The motive resulting from the former
discourse is that their labour shall not be in vain in the
Lord; nay, they know it shall not. They have the best grounds
in the world to build upon: they have all the assurance that can
rationally be expected: as surely as Christ is risen, they shall
rise; and Christ is as surely risen as the scriptures are true, and
the word of God. The apostles saw him after his death, testified
this truth to the world in the face of a thousand deaths and
dangers, and confirmed it by miraculous powers received from him.
Is there any room to doubt a fact so well attested? Note, True
Christians have undoubted evidence that their labour will not be in
vain in the Lord; not their most diligent services, nor their most
painful sufferings; they will not be in vain, not be vain and
unprofitable. Note, The labour of Christians will not be lost
labour; they may lose for God, but they will lose nothing by him;
nay, there is more implied than is expressed in this phrase: it
means that they shall be abundantly rewarded. He will never be
found unjust to forget their labour of love, Heb. vi. 10. Nay, he will do exceedingly
abundantly above what they can now ask or think. Neither the
services they do for him, nor the sufferings they endure for him
here, are worthy to be compared with the joy hereafter to be
revealed in them, Rom. viii.
18. Note, Those who serve God have good wages; they
cannot do too much nor suffer too much for so good a Master. If
they serve him now, they shall see him hereafter; if they suffer
for him on earth, they shall reign with him in heaven; if they die
for his sake, they shall rise again from the dead, be crowned with
glory, honour, and immortality, and inherit eternal life.